August theodore zetterlfnd



(No Model.)

A. T. ZETTERLUND.

SEAL. No. 571,633. Patented Nov.V 17, 1896,

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UNITED STATES PATENT Erica.

SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.

571,638, dated November 17', 1896.

Application iiled April 18,1896. Serial No. 688,123. (No model To all 'whom it may concer/t:

Beit known that l, AUGUST 'lHEononE ZETTERLUND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Self-Locking Seal, ot' which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to seals, and has for its object to provide a simple, economical, and efficient seal adapted to be applied to railway-cars or packing-eases and used by inspectors in the employ of the government or railway or other' corporations.

The seal herein contemplated may be quickly and easily applied, and thereafter it cannot be removed Without ent-ailing its permanent destruction.

The invention consists in a seal embodying certain novel features and details of construction, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the complete seal locked. Fig. 2 is a plan vienv of the blank from which the seal is formed, the lines of the several folds therein being dotted. Fig. 3 is a side elevation or edge View of the saine, partly in section. l is a detail perspective View of one end of the seal, showing the metal easing inelosing the spring-lip at that end. Fig. 5 is an enlarged .longitudinal section through the end of the seal opposite to that shown in Fig. i. Fig. G is a similar section showing the ends of the seal in interlocking engagement.

Similar numerals o reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, l designa-tes a blank of thin sheet metal of a suitable Width and length. This blank is reduced in Width adjacent to one end, as indicated at 2, and this narrow portion is bent upon the dotted lines 3 and at to form a spring tongue or terminal 5, adapted to engage a stop at the other end of the seal in a manner that will hereinafter appear. A metal casing, of some suitable lead composition, is molded about or around this end of the seal, the said casing entirely inclosing the spring-tongue 5 and the narrowed portion 2 of the blank contiguous to said springtongue, as clearly illustrated in Fig. i. The opposite end of the blank 1 is also reduced in Width, as indicated at 7, and at the extremity of such narrowed portion is provided with a lateral i'lap S, which is bent to form a flat sleeve or casing at this end of the blank, the saine beine,` adapted to be inserted in the easing 6 at the other end of the seal when it is desired to look the said seal. This easing or sleeve is formed as follows; An incision 9 is made in the iiap S,- and the portion 10, upon one side of the incision, is bent on the line ll and folded dativise against the projecting end portion 12 of the iiap. The portions l0 and 1L are then bent upon the line 13 and are brought dat against the flap-8. After this the tongue portion shown at 1l is bent upon the line l5 upon the saine side of the flap S as the portions lO and 12 referred to. The narrowed portion 7 of the blank is then bent upon the lines 1G and 17 over the tongue 14C and the portions 10 and 12 of the flap in suoli manner, however, as to leave an aperture or throat 18 for the entry of the bend i of the spring-tongue at the other end of the seal. The casing or sleeve is completed by folding the extreme lateral portion 1) of the flap 8 on the line 20 over upon the portion 7 of the blank. The blank l is now provided adjacent to the narrowed portion 7 With a number of indentations 21, which serve to emboss or roughen the surface of the main body or strap portion of the seal, thus facilitating the threading of the two ends of the seal together.

The seal constructed as above is complete and ready for use.

To apply the se* eyes or staples on seal having the ease (i is held sothat the opposite end having the flat sleeve may be inserted therein. Then the sleeve has been inserted to its full extent, the spring-tongue 5 snaps behind the portions l0 and 1Q, which forni a transverse stop-shoulder and serve to prevent any possibility of the point of the tongue being thereafterward deflected, so as to admit of its escape. In order to still further guard against fraudulent tampering with the seal, a double or sigmoidal bend 22 is formed close up to the flat sleeve constructed from the flap S. Any forcible attempt to separate the locked ends of the seal `.vill tend to l, it is'passed through the the ear, and that end of the IOO straighten out this double bend 22, and as such bend is made very close, the folds being mashed tightly upon each other, the metal will break along one or the other of the folds, thus permanently destroying the seal. The presence of the indentations 2l preclude the possibility of trimming down that end of the seal with the idea of forming a tongue or hook for insertion in the oase 6 at the opposite end.

The seal is very simple in construction, may be manufactured at a minimum oost, and is thoroughly reliable andeificient in use.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new isl. A car-seal comprising a strap or main body portion having one end bent back in substantially parallel relation thereto and having the extremity of said bent portion again bent back to form a spring-tongue Which projects toward the end of the seal and is interposed between the said parallel portions of the bent end of the strap, an inclosing oase extending around and protecting said tongue,

and a flat sleeve at the opposite end of said strap having an internal stop, said sleeve be ing adapted to be inserted into said case so as to embrace the spring-tongue and interlock therewith, substantially as described.

2. A seal comprisin g an extended strap having' one end bent back substantially parallel -site end-of the strap,

to itself and having the extremity of such bent portion folded upon itself to form a spring-tongue which projects toward the end of the strap and lies between the main body of the strap and its folded end portion, a ease extending around and inclosin g said bent end and tongue and having a closed outer end and an open inner end, and a sleeve at the oppoadapted to be inserted into said case and having an internal stopshoulder for engaging the spring-tongue, substantially as described.

3. A seal, comprising an extended strap provided adjacent to one end with a lateral iiap folded transversely around the end of the strap to form a fiat sleeve, said iiap being' provided with the longitudinal extensions l2 and 14, and the transverse extension 10, the one 14 forming a tongue for closing the rear or inner end of the sleeve, and the extensions 10 and l2 being folded upon themselves and upon the body of the iiap to form a rigid. and double-thick transverse stop-shoulder at the open end of the sleeve, and a spring tongue or hook at the opposite end of the strap adapted to be inserted in said sleeve and to engage said stop-shoulder,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWn I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

AUGUST THEODORE ZETTERLUND.

"Witnesses:

G. KLoDIN, J oHN F. BERGSTEN. 

